Sisterhood
by IchigoXLawliet10
Summary: AU. Five very different women must put their trust in one another and bond as their five husbands face death and danger at war. Includes Percabeth, Caleo, Jasper, Thalico, and Frazel!
1. Hazel: Family?

**A/N: hey guys! This is my second PJO/HOO story I'm working on. Hope you enjoy it!**

_Premise: When a war calls their husbands to duty, five very different wives are left behind. There's Hazel, newlywed, pregnant and terrified of what the future might bring. Annabeth, who is struggling to raise a pair of twins and is descending into a deep depression. Calypso, who is having second thoughts about marrying her husband in the first place. Thalia, emotionally wrestling with a rebellious teenage daughter. And Piper, the one who is taking care of her terminally ill father. _

_The husbands want the wives to support each other, so each week they meet at a restaurant to discuss their lives and share burdens, and as their personal struggles build the wives begin to form deep bonds of trust. And when tragedy and disaster strike, they face the painful realities of life and war that pull people apart and bring friends together._

_**The Wives:**_

**Hazel Zhang (20):  
**Husband: Frank, Captain

**Annabeth Jackson (27):  
**Husband: Percy, Major  
Children: twins Laurel and Miles (3)

**Calypso Valdez (18):  
**Fiancé: Leo, Private First Class

**Thalia di Angelo (35):****  
**Husband: Nico, First Lieutenant  
Children: Maria (15), Irene (11), Tyson (8)

**Piper Grace (22):  
**Husband: Jason, Colonel  
Children: Felix (6 months)

_**Hazel: A Family? **_

Hazel Zhang pulled into the Red Lobster parking lot, anxiety tearing at her heart. She bit her bottom lip for the millionth time, nearly drawing blood. She proceeded to put her car into park and stared at the windows, trying to get the courage to go inside. Based on her husband's emails, the other wives would be older than she is (with the exception of the 18 year old named Calypso) and have much more experience with…well, everything.

Hazel shook her head, her cinnamon curls bouncing. She shouldn't be thinking like that; Frank wanted her to get along with the other girls. In the most recent email he sent, Frank said he and the other soldiers were already the near best of friends. Hazel was certain they would be as close as brothers when they got home; her common sense told her that five men don't just go to war together and face danger and death without bonding.

Hazel pulled down the visor and checked her appearance. Bright golden eyes stared back at her. She touched up her lipstick and took a deep breath. She could do this – more importantly, her husband _wanted _her to do this. Hazel took the key out of the ignition and opened the door, warm summer air fanning her face.

Another young woman was ahead of her, holding a little boy's hand. She yelled, "Laurel Jackson, get back here!" a young girl with flyaway blonde hair and green eyes that looked three years old pouted and walked back to her mother. "Thank you. Now hold my hand, it's easy to get lost."

_That's gotta be Annabeth, _Hazel thought. Annabeth sent an email earlier saying that she might have to bring her kids if she couldn't find a babysitter.

Hazel pulled her voice out of her throat. "Annabeth?"

The young woman turned at the sound of Hazel's voice, tightly gripping the children's hands. She blew a strand of curly blonde hair out of her face. "Hey there; you must be Hazel." She smiled as Hazel nodded. "I'm Annabeth Jackson. I'd shake your hand, but…" she nodded toward the little boy and girl, who both stared at Hazel.

"That's okay," Hazel said, smiling at the kids. The two women walked together in silence toward the double doors that Hazel opened. They walked toward a nearby booth, where three other women sat: one sitting next to a car seat, the one next to her silently sipping lemon water, and the one on the end had dark, thick hair.

Annabeth sat down in the booth opposite the other woman, scooting to the edge so her children could sit next to her. Hazel sat next to the little boy.

"Sorry I had to bring these two along," Annabeth said. "the babysitter fell through."

"That's perfectly alright," the woman who was sipping the lemon water said, smiling at the twins. She had a soft, kind voice. Hazel liked her right away.

"Anyway, I'm Annabeth." Annabeth extended her hand across the table and shook hands with everyone. "I'm 27 and my husband is Percy. And this is Laurel and Miles, my fraternal twins." She laid a gentle hand on each toddler's head as she introduced them. "And I am an architect."

"I'm Piper," the girl sitting next to the carseat said. She had choppy, uneven brown hair and kaleidoscope eyes. Hazel guessed she had some Native American in her blood due to the shape of her eyes and the way her cheekbones were placed. "I'm 22, a stay at home mom, and this," Piper continued, turning the carseat toward the women, "is little Felix, my son. He's six months old. My husband is Jason, this is our first deployment and I am_ scared to death._" Piper let out a little chuckle at the last line, which caused an awkward silence.

Everyone's gazes glanced to the woman next to Piper, who had long, beautiful chestnut hair and round eyes. She looked very young, not even twenty. She looked startled when she noticed everyone staring at her. "Oh, hi. I'm Calypso, and I'm 18 years old." She let out a small smile when she saw everyone's eyes widen in surprise. "I don't have any kids, Leo and I aren't even married yet; we decided to postpone the wedding until he gets back. That is…_if _he gets back." Her voice trailed off for a second, but she brought herself back. "I'm currently going to school to be a midwife." Calypso got a far-off look in her eyes and twisted the engagement ring on her finger. Hazel guessed she wouldn't say anything more, so she turned her gaze to the last woman in the row.

"I'm Thalia," she said, smiling at everyone. "I'm 35, so I guess I'm the oldest which makes me the grandma of the group." Hazel laughed; Thalia hardly looked like the "grandma" type with her leather jacket and black eyeliner. "Nico is my man. We've got three kids: Maria, Irene and Tyson and I'm a stay at home mom, too." Thalia and Piper shared a smile.

While Annabeth asked Thalia how old her kids were, Hazel's thoughts consumed her. Both her and Frank wanted a family, but things had happened so fast: marriage, settling into their apartment and then Frank getting deployed. They both agreed when they got married that they wanted kids, at the most maybe four or five. But now the very concept of a child made her stomach turn, especially when she found out she missed her last period. She couldn't have gotten pregnant _that _fast…could she?

Hazel snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed everyone staring at her. She cleared her throat. "I'm Hazel, and I'm married to Frank. We just got married last winter, so no kids yet. I train and break horses for a living."

_Oh, and I think I'm pregnant. _

**Sooooo, what do you think? Please review! **


	2. Annabeth: Descending

**A/N: hello everyone! Thanks for the reviews; I'm glad you like the story so far! Please continue to review! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO/HOO. **

_Premise: When a war calls their husbands to duty, five very different wives are left behind. There's Hazel, newlywed, pregnant and terrified of what the future might bring. Annabeth, who is struggling to raise a pair of twins and is descending into a deep depression. Calypso, who is having second thoughts about marrying her husband in the first place. Thalia, emotionally wrestling with a rebellious teenage daughter. And Piper, the one who is taking care of her terminally ill father. _

_The husbands want the wives to support each other, so each week they meet at a restaurant to discuss their lives and share burdens, and as their personal struggles build the wives begin to form deep bonds of trust. And when tragedy and disaster strike, they face the painful realities of life and war that pull people apart and bring friends together._

_**The Wives:**_

**Hazel Zhang (20):  
**Husband: Frank, Captain

**Annabeth Jackson (27):  
**Husband: Percy, Major  
Children: twins Laurel and Miles (3)

**Calypso Valdez (18):  
**Fiancé: Leo, Private First Class

**Thalia di Angelo (35):****  
**Husband: Nico, First Lieutenant  
Children: Maria (15), Irene (11), Tyson (8)

**Piper Grace (22):  
**Husband: Jason, Colonel  
Children: Felix (6 months)

_**Annabeth – Descending**_

Annabeth saved the data and closed her architecture program. She sighed and rubbed her tired eyes, wincing as her eyes were enveloped in darkness. Her back arched as her arms reached for the ceiling, stretching her sore muscles. She glanced at the clock above the computer desk: she'd been working on this project since she put the twins to bed, and that was five hours ago. It was nearly one in the morning.

Annabeth grabbed a handful of dry cereal – a late midnight snack – and munched while she opened her email. Her stormy gray eyes glanced toward the chat bar, checking if Percy was online for the millionth time. Her heart leapt when she saw a green dot next to Percy's name.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard. _Hey, are you there?_

_Hey there, Wise Girl. How are you?_

Annabeth smiled at the nickname Percy gave her so many years ago. She hesitated for a moment before writing back, _We're okay. Laurel is a bundle of energy, as usual. Miles is trying to eat bugs. _

She hit the ENTER key and rubbed her tired eyes. Annabeth hated lying, especially to the person she loved and cared for most. But she didn't want Percy to know that she wasn't doing "okay" at all. The real reason she hadn't gone to bed yet was because she simply couldn't sleep. The minute Annabeth closed her eyes negative thoughts fired in her brain like an AK-47. Annabeth tried to tell herself that Percy was still on this east coast for training and out of harm's way, but situations that could potentially happen consumed her.

Percy typed his answer quickly. _I miss them so much. Give them a huge hug from daddy for me! What about yourself? Oh, and how did that first lunch go with all the other wives? _

Annabeth thought back to two days before at Red Lobster: juggling her own kids, Calypso sitting so quietly, hardly speaking up. Thalia seemed a bit tough, but was nice enough. Piper was a sweetheart and Hazel was quiet but very friendly. Even though it was only two days ago she was able to match the faces to the names.

_It went pretty well, _she replied. _It was awkward at first, but I think we'll get closer. And I'm doing alright. Really. _She winced at the lame attempt to cover up her loneliness.

W_ell….okay. You better not be lying ;) _Crap. He really did know her too well. _We're gonna be turning in for the night in a few minutes. Whatcha doing?_

"Oh, nothing. Just sitting in the dark at one in the morning, feeling desperately lonely." Annabeth whispered to the screen. But she couldn't tell him that, as much as she wanted to; it would only make him sad. All was silent in the house, now that the kids were in bed; it was funny how empty the house felt when they slept. Before Percy left Annabeth would cherish any time the kids _weren't _in the house. Now it almost felt…too empty.

_Well, I just finished a project I've been working on, and I'm about to turn in too. I just wanted to check to see if you were online before I went to sleep. _At least she was honest this time.

_Glad you did, _her husband said. _I miss you, Wise Girl. More than you will ever know. _

Tears stung Annabeth's eyes. She blinked hard; she would not cry, even if Percy couldn't see her doing it. Annabeth hardly ever cried, and when she did it was not something she liked people to see.

_I miss you too, Seaweed Brain. I love you. _

Annabeth whispered the last line of what she typed as she sent it, hoping that somehow her voice would reach him.

_I love you too, Wise Girl. Get some sleep. Night! _

As dumb as her husband acted sometimes (Annabeth could name several instances), he took her by surprise with the sleep comment. It was almost like he knew she was about to collapse onto the keyboard. The green dot next to Percy's name went red, signaling he was offline. Annabeth stared at it, wishing that it would go back to green. She wanted to tell the truth next time, about how she wasn't okay and release all of her stresses. But she didn't want to overload him; he was probably tired enough as it was.

Annabeth turned off the computer, letting out a heavy sigh. She glanced at the bed; no, she wouldn't sleep there tonight. Not when the other side of the bed was cold. Annabeth walked down the hallway, wiping her eyes as she headed toward the twins' bedroom. She opened the door quietly and managed to smile at her sleeping children. Annabeth climbed into her tiny son's twin bed and pulled him close, burying his face in her son's messy black hair while the tears fell. Her son was the spitting image of Percy but with her eyes.

But at least with them, Annabeth didn't feel so alone.


	3. Calypso: Pondering

**A/N: thanks for all the amazing reviews! Please keep them coming! *throws out blue cookies***

_Premise: When a war calls their husbands to duty, five very different wives are left behind. There's Hazel, newlywed, pregnant and terrified of what the future might bring. Annabeth, who is struggling to raise a pair of twins and is descending into a deep depression. Calypso, who is having second thoughts about marrying her husband in the first place. Thalia, emotionally wrestling with a rebellious teenage daughter. And Piper, the one who is taking care of her terminally ill father. _

_The husbands want the wives to support each other, so each week they meet at a restaurant to discuss their lives and share burdens, and as their personal struggles build the wives begin to form deep bonds of trust. And when tragedy and disaster strike, they face the painful realities of life and war that pull people apart and bring friends together._

_**The Wives:**_

**Hazel Zhang (20):  
**Husband: Frank, Captain

**Annabeth Jackson (27):  
**Husband: Percy, Major  
Children: twins Laurel and Miles (3)

**Calypso Valdez (18):  
**Fiancé: Leo, Private First Class

**Thalia di Angelo (35):****  
**Husband: Nico, First Lieutenant  
Children: Maria (15), Irene (11), Tyson (8)

**Piper Grace (22):  
**Husband: Jason, Colonel  
Children: Felix (6 months)

_**Calypso – Pondering**_

The girl with chestnut hair jolted awake, a small scream escaping her mouth. She panted deep, heaving breaths as her wide brown eyes took in her surroundings. A dresser in the corner, a painting easel by the window, soft sheets clutched tightly in her fingers; Calypso realized she was at home. She put one hand over her racing heart, closing her eyes as she tried to calm down.

The nightmare had ended, but the images were still sharp. It had started good enough: Leo, with his wild curly hair and pointy ears, opening his arms to her for an embrace. Calypso ran to him, wrapping her arms around him and breathing in his scent of machine grease and fire. Leo buried his face into her hair, and then promptly stabbed her in the back with a butcher knife.

Well, that escalated quickly.

Calypso knew that Leo would never stab her in the back – not _literally, _anyway. When they first started dating two years ago Calypso made it very clear that she didn't play games, especially after the last couple boyfriends/flings she had. Leo didn't ask her to go into detail, but he understood.

But as much as Calypso tried to believe him, she didn't think he really _did _understand. She couldn't go through another breakup: the last one had completely shattered her and it took so long to put the pieces back together. For weeks, Calypso had stayed holed up in her room at her parents' house, refusing to eat and just stared at the patterns on the wall.

Calypso pulled the blankets around her tighter, checking off the sour relationships in her head: first there was Odysseus, who became her friend when she was a freshman in high school after they figured out that they were both named after characters from _The Odyssey. _As time passed, she fell for him hard; but it was unrequited, and he soon found another girl that was much prettier and better than she.

Then there was Drake. Drake moved into town when she was a sophomore, and Calypso immediately caught his eye. After awhile, they started dating. Calypso didn't think she knew true happiness until she became Drake's girlfriend. He bought her flowers. He remembered her birthday and their dating anniversary. They went on for one solid year until out of the blue Drake said he didn't feel the same way anymore. No matter how much Calypso begged and pleaded, Drake wouldn't listen. Calypso later found out that, like Odysseus, another woman had caught his eye. Another woman that was more beautiful, smarter and talented than her.

That's when Calypso discovered heartache and heartbreak.

As much as Drake hurt her, the last man she was interested in before Leo was the one that nearly pulled her back into her deep depression. His name was Percy, and he happened to be Annabeth's husband. That really stung, because Calypso wanted to like Annabeth, she truly did; but old memories kept resurfacing. Percy had told her the feeling was mutual, but that he had already found someone. That was the heartbreak that really stung.

For one whole year, Calypso went without men. And then Leo showed up, and as infuriating and frustrating as he was, Leo truly cared for her. Moving in with him was the farthest thing with a guy Calypso had ever done.

Calypso definitely liked Leo, but she didn't know if she _loved _him. In a way, she was guiltily relieved that he was away for a while so she could mentally sort things out. But what if that dream was an omen? What if Leo stabbed her in the back, too? Would she be single forever?

These were the thoughts that kept Calypso up all through the night.


	4. Thalia: Actress

**Wow, I'm so touched and amazed at all you amazing readers! Thank you so much! *tosses blue rock candy* Enjoy! **

**Oh, and a guest reviewer asked me if I based this book off of another that she and I have both read. The answer is yes; the book is about five wives whose husbands are called to Afghanistan, but I added my own little twist to it ;) Enjoy! **

_**Thalia –Actress**_

Thalia knocked on her oldest daughter's bedroom door. "Maria, sweetheart? Can you at least come out so we can talk about it?"

"No." Maria's voice cut through the door like ice.

Thalia sighed, gritting her teeth. "Maria, _please. _I want to help, I really do."

"Whatever," Maria snapped, "and even if I wanted help from _anybody, _it would be Dad! Now leave me alone!" something banged against the door, probably a shoe. Thalia growled, resisting the urge to kick the door down. The nerve that kid had, speaking to her that way!

Thalia took a deep breath. "I'm going out to lunch with the other wives. I'll be back later. I have my cell phone." She turned away from the door before her eldest daughter could say anything else that stung. Her two younger children, Irene and Tyson, gave her a hug goodbye. "Keep an eye on your sister for me, please." They both nodded, smiling up at their mother.

_I wish Irene and Tyson would stay this young forever, _Thalia thought to herself as she put her key in the ignition. _Then they wouldn't grow up to be stupid brats. Okay, Maria's not a stupid brat…most of the time. Oh, who am I kidding? Ever since Nico left she's gone downhill…_

Maria had always been a daddy's girl, ever since her little arms could reach for him. She looked so much like him, with his big dark eyes and olive complexion. Before Nico left Maria was a good student in school with all A's and B's on her report card and never missed school unless she was seriously ill. She wanted to please her father more than anything in the world. In all honesty, Thalia kind of felt like a third wheel between her oldest daughter and her husband.

But now Maria didn't seem to care at all. Her grades were in the danger zone and she was skipping her most important classes. Thalia thought it was just a regular phase like all kids went through, but after what happened two nights ago…Thalia pulled into the Red Robin parking lot, pushing the negative thoughts out of her mind. Now was not the time to think about her family's troubles: it was time to put on a smile and be an actress.

After touching up her makeup and adjusting her jewelry, Thalia went into the restaurant. She found the reserved table and already found…what was her name? Piper? Yes, that was it. Piper was already sitting there, staring at the menu. She lifted her head at the clicking of Thalia's high heels and smiled.

"Hey," she said, glancing back at the menu. "do you know if they have anything vegetarian here? I was just thinking of a salad if they don't…"

Thalia held back a chuckle; Red Robin was a _burger joint. _"I'd go with the salad," she said as she sat down. "this place is mainly a burger joint."

"I know," Piper sighed as she set down the menu. "I've been a vegan since I was fifteen, and I've always felt out of place whenever my friends and I went to a place that served burgers or steak."

"It's totally fine," Thalia said with a wave of her hand. "I tried being a vegan, but then I realized that if God didn't want us to eat meat He wouldn't have inspired someone to make steak sauce."

The moment the sentence escaped her lips, Thalia wanted to take them back; what if Piper was offended by her sarcastic remark? But Piper threw her head back and laughed. "I've heard that one before!"

Thalia breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought I offended you for a moment there," she said, chuckling. She took a sip of ice water and asked, "so where's Felix?"

"Oh, he's at home…with my dad." The hesitant tone and sudden tenseness in Piper's voice surprised Thalia; she seemed so easygoing. What could she be stressed about?

At that moment, Hazel and Calypso appeared. They greeted the other women and sat down. A few minutes later, Annabeth arrived, looking winded and out of breath.

"Sorry I'm late," she said breathlessly as she grabbed a menu. "My babysitter fell through and I had to drop the twins off at my neighbors, and they held onto me like I was their only hope."

Hazel's eyebrows drew together. "Really? They seem like calm, good kids. I wonder why."

Annabeth thought for a moment, then replied, "I've just been so stressed lately, with Percy gone and trying to raise, feed, and protect them by myself. It's so hard to play both parts."

Calypso spoke up, speaking so quietly that Thalia had to lean in to hear her. "They're probably feeling your stress, which makes them anxious too."

All the wives stared at the youngest woman. Calypso blushed. "I…I'm going to school to be a midwife, with a minor in childhood development. One of the things they've taught in class is that when parents are stressed and worried, it makes them stressed too."

Annabeth put down her menu, thinking hard. "That makes a lot of sense, now that you mention it." She smiled at Calypso. "I'll come to you if I have any more questions, since you seem to be more of an expert than I am!"

Calypso laughed as her tense shoulders relaxed for a brief moment. "I'm hardly an expert, but I'd love to help." And with that, she turned her gaze from Annabeth and she tensed up again. _Huh, _Thalia thought.

After the wives placed their orders, they began discussing things that had happened during the week: Annabeth's little boy eating worms, Piper having a disaster morning with Felix, and Calypso pitching in here and there about her nightmares. Thalia could hardly blame her; even though the men were still at boot camp, they would be on enemy territory next week. The very thought made her shudder.

Her thoughts traveled back to Maria. Her daughter had always been a bit moody; she gained that wonderful (insert sarcasm here) trait from her father. Thalia and Nico had known one another since they were fifteen: they knew each other more than anybody else. Luckily, Nico had learned to control his moodiness. Maria had not. In fact, it seemed to be kicking into overdrive. Maria and her were fighting every time they saw each other now. As much as she hated to admit it, Thalia's heart ached for her daughter; she remembered those miserable teenage years, and they were _not _fun. But that was no excuse for her daughter to act like a little brat.

But the worst fight was two nights ago, when Thalia caught Maria sneaking back into the house at two in the morning with alcohol on her breath.

**Soooo, waddaya think? :D next Chapter will be Piper! The chapter orders will be right down the list: Hazel, Annabeth, Calypso, Thalia and Piper ;) Please review! I'll make cuppycakes! **

**Oh, and for those of you that are reading **_**Melody's Song - **_** I'm going to update it sometime this week or next week. It'll be before I post the next **_**Sisterhood **_**chapter. Thanks for being so patient! **


	5. Piper: Daughter

**Thank you, my wonderful readers! I promised cuppycakes, and here they are! *hands out blue cupcakes with blue frosting* **

**And **_**YES**_**, I know I said I would update my other PJO fic, **_**Melody's Song **_**first, but I really need to get things worked out with that story before I post the next chapter. For one thing, I have no idea where it's going or how it will end, which is KINDA IMPORTANT XD lol! So I'll update that one ASAIC. (As soon as I can) You guys are the best!**

_**Piper – Daughter**_

The young woman with kaleidoscope eyes opened the front door to the small single story house. All was silent. Piper frowned; in her household silence either meant disaster was about to happen, or disaster was _going _to happen. Of course, disasters never seemed to occur when Jason was home. Piper had been calling him "Superman" ever since they were married. The term fit him well: whenever Piper was on the verge of a meltdown or even when little Felix was about to cry, Jason's very presence instantly calmed them.

He had the attitude and demeanor of a military man, always putting the most important things first. It didn't surprise Piper when she heard that Jason was promoted to that rank so fast.

Piper snapped out of her reverie when she heard the small cry of her son. A smile graced her face as she set down her bag and walked over to the small playpen in the middle of the room. Felix lay on his back, his wide blue eyes taking in the surroundings.

"Hi, sweetie!" Piper's smile widened as Felix gazed up at his mother's face and smiled a toothless grin. She gently picked him up and the little boy made himself comfortable by laying his head on his mother's shoulder.

_Where's Dad? _

"Hey, Pipes."

Piper turned around, forcing a smile onto her face. "Oh, hi Dad." She adjusted Felix on her hip. "How long was Felix out?"

Mr. McLean shrugged. "About an hour or so. I played with him for a while and he got tired halfway through."

"Okay." Piper made her way to the kitchen. _Anything to get away from him._

"Pipes, wait."

Piper let out a small, frustrated sigh. "What, Dad?"

"Please, honey. We need to talk."

Piper set Felix down in his feeding chair and got up to get a can of baby food. "Dad, you've been saying that ever since you came here three days ago, but we've made no progress since. You keep saying we need to talk, and then you keep putting it off, or saying that it's nothing I should worry about." She reached into the pantry and grabbed a small can of pureed peaches and a baby spoon. "I don't know where you're going with this at all."

When her father didn't respond, Piper looked up at him. Her father was still just as handsome as he was when Piper was young with his dark, smooth skin and high cheekbones. Mr. McLean was a famous movie star, once upon a time. He had always portrayed the dashing hero with the sad past. Nobody would have guessed he was like that in real life. Nobody would have guessed that he had a daughter that he had such a strained relationship with.

"Dad?" Piper's voice softened as she saw her father staring at the countertop. "What in the world happened?"

Her father sighed, his broad shoulders drooping up and down. "It's just…it's big, Pipes. It's really, really big."

Piper put one of her father's large hands in her own. "Please, Dad, just tell me." Fear coursed through Piper's veins: her father was always a rather serious man, but Piper had never seen him so…broken.

Mr. McLean looked up from the countertop, into his daughters multicolored eyes. "I'm dying, honey."

The jar of baby food slipped out of Piper's slim fingers and shattered to the floor. It was like an invisible hand punched her in the gut, hard: all the breath had been knocked out of her. "I- I- I'm sorry Dad, I must be hearing wrong. What did you say?"

Her father's lips curved up in a sad smile. "I think you heard me right, honey. I'm dying. I've got four months, at best, with medication."

Piper gaped at her father like a fish out of water. How could her own father not let her know about this? He had said it wasn't important; it was nothing to worry about, etc. How could he? She finally managed to find her voice. "Dad, what…what…what's wrong?"

"I've got cancer." Her father's voice was surprisingly warm and full of life despite the bad news. "It started in my stomach, but by the time I got it checked out it spread all over. With chemotherapy and other medication I've got a deadline of four months. Without it, I've got maybe two."

Piper tried to process all this, but it was like someone had short-circuited her brain. Cancer in the stomach? It had spread? _What? _

Her father went on. "That's why I came to visit so unexpectedly, Pipes. I had no one else to tell. And…this is where I would love to spend my last days. You are the only family I have."

"Of course," Piper found herself saying. "I could set you up in the guest bedroom."

"Thanks, Pipes." Her father squeezed her hands. "You don't know how much that means to me."

Mr. McLean stood up, rather shakily, Piper noticed. Piper stood in shocked silence. What on earth had she gone and done, letting her father stay here for the next four months or so? They both knew they couldn't stand to be in the same room together for more than a few hours at best. Piper's mother had left when she was only a baby, and while she adored her Dad when she was young, Piper didn't like the things his fame brought: paparazzi, press conferences, to say nothing of a total invasion of privacy.

Piper buried her face in her hands, not caring that there was a mess of spilled peaches on the floor or that her baby was staring at her with concern beyond his years. _Oh dear heavens, have I gone crazy? _


	6. Hazel: Okay

**Hey, hey, hey, boo boos! (okay, that was just creepy. Not saying THAT ever again. I swear on the River Styx.) Thanks for all the reviews, both guests and account users alike! ;) Here's the next chapter involving our favorite daughter of Pluto!**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like someone who would send an OTP to Tartarus? No? Then I'm not Uncle Rick. Don't own anything, just the plot ;) **

_**Hazel – Okay**_

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The young woman with honey-gold eyes thought of a quote from a movie she'd recently watched: "_Tick Tock. The arena's a clock!" _Okay, so maybe waiting for a result from a 99% reliable white stick wasn't exactly like being in the Hunger Games. But the tension was just as much, and in a way she felt like she was facing certain doom.

Hazel paced the length of the apartment, wringing her hands as questions of every kind racked her brain: _Am I really going to have a baby? Well, I guess it would be mine AND Frank's. But when should I tell him? Oh my gosh, what if I do tell him and then I miscarry? He'd be so heartbroken! Okay, so I won't tell him. But I have to tell someone. I can't do this all on my own…_Hazel buried her face in her hands, pushing back her dark curls. She could feel a massive headache coming on.

She looked at her watch; the test should be done by now. Taking a deep but shaky breath, Hazel made her way back to the bathroom. She closed her eyes and promised herself that no matter what, she would be okay.

When she opened her eyes, two horizontal lines decided her fate.

_Later…_

Hazel scrolled through her email, trying to find the message in which Annabeth had sent everyone's phone numbers and addresses. Her eyes still stung from all the tears she shed an hour after seeing the results. _What a lame promise to make to myself. Of course I won't be okay. Not without Frank here. _She finally managed to pull up the email, debating on who to call. The sudden decision surprised her: these were women she hardly knew. But it wasn't like she had anyone else.

Who to call…

Annabeth? She was the one Hazel was closest to, but she looked so stressed lately. Hazel didn't want to add to that.

Thalia? She was probably years past her last pregnancy.

Piper? She was the next oldest, but Hazel didn't know her well enough.

Calypso? _Wait a minute – didn't Calypso say that she was going to school to be a midwife? _

That's right! And she was getting a minor in childhood development! Hazel felt an odd leap in her chest as she stared at Calypso's name and phone number. Calypso was a bit shy but last week at lunch she really came out of her shell and proved herself to be quite funny and down-to-earth. A smile lifted the corners of Hazel's mouth. Calypso would know what to do and how to answer any questions Hazel had without making her feel like an idiot.

Hazel pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed the number, trying to keep her nerves at bay. After two rings, the call answered with a pleasant "Hello?"

"Hi, Calypso. This is Hazel. You know, Hazel Zhang? From the lunch group?" Hazel mentally face palmed herself. Of course Calypso knew who she was….she thought.

There was a slight pause, but then: "Oh, of course. Hi, Hazel. What's up?"

_Oh my word, how do I do this? _"Well, you mentioned the other week that you were going to be a midwife."

"Yes, why?"

"Well, um…" Hazel ran a hand through her hair. "Uh. Oh gosh, I don't know how to explain this. Can…can you keep a secret?"

"Of course. What's going on?" Calypso's voice filled with concern at Hazel's nervous stutter.

"Well, um…" Hazel forced herself to say the impossible. "I'm pregnant."

There was a weird, loud sound at the end of the line. Hazel pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it, wondering if it was some kind of bad connection, but when she put it back to her ear she realized Calypso was…squealing. She was squealing so enthusiastically, like she was the one that was going to have a baby.

"Congratulations! That's so exciting! When are you due?!" Calypso demanded.

"Oh, well...I don't know yet." There was a confused pause from Calypso. When she didn't answer it all came pouring out. "I just found out, and you're the only person I've told because you said you were going to be a midwife. Frank and I don't have a doctor yet, and…and…" Hazel took a deep breath, realizing that her voice was cracking and new tears were cascading down her cheeks. "I'm just so scared!"

"Oh, Hazel," Calypso's voice was laced with such sweetness and tenderness that Hazel wanted to cry all the harder. "You don't have to go through this alone. Does Frank know?"

"No," Hazel wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Like I said, you're the only person I've told. I just…I want to make sure that everything is alright. With the baby, I mean."

"Of course, of course! If you like, I can get you to the clinic that I'm interning at. I'll pull a couple of strings."

Hazel felt a rush of gratitude. "Thank you so much. Would you please come with me?" The latter questioned hadn't been planned, but it came out anyway.

"Sure. I'll come pick you up. What's your address?"

Hazel rattled off the street and apartment number. "Thank you so much. And…please don't tell anyone." She rushed on. "I just have my reasons for not telling everyone right now."

Calypso sighed. "Sure thing. Be right there."

A few minutes later, Calypso was driving Hazel to the clinic. After arriving, Hazel filled out a bunch of paperwork, grateful that she had good health insurance through the military. Hazel and Calypso chatted while they waited for the nurse.

"You know, I didn't believe you when you said you were eighteen. You look a lot older!"

Calypso laughed. "Yes, I've been told that many times. I skipped a few grades in school, so that explains why I graduated and did an intern so early." 

"Wow, I bet your parents must have been proud!" Hazel sat back in her chair, smiling at her.

Calypso tensed. "Yeah, they were." Something in her voice sounded faraway and vacant. Hazel began to ask why, but then the nurse came through the door and called her name. Hazel made a mental note to check up on that later. To her surprise, Calypso stood up with her and walked into the exam room. When she caught Hazel's eye she smiled, whatever she had just been thinking about clear from her mind.

"Alright," the nurse said, whose name tag read SARAH. "So, you're just here to see how everything is?"

Hazel nodded. "And you look like you're about…twelve weeks along." Hazel nodded again. "Alright, let's take a look at the bun in the oven."

A few minutes later, Hazel's shirt was pulled up to her ribs and she was lying on the table. Nurse Sarah pulled a screen toward her. She pointed to a corner in the screen. "See that movement? That's your baby's heart, and it's nice and strong, which is of course awesome."

Hazel felt a strange relief coursing through her veins. "So it – I mean, he or she – is okay?"

"Definitely," Calypso said. She pointed to another part of the screen. "See it's little legs?"

Hazel stared in awe. She was expecting the baby to maybe be the size of a bean with not too many features. But this….it looked like an actual _person. _

Nurse Sarah smiled. "Yep, at 12 weeks your little baby already has organs, hands, feet and teeth buds. Pretty far out, huh?"

Hazel nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She could feel the tears pushing at the back of her eyes again. She wasn't sure if they were because of Calypso's kindness, or because of the reality that she was going to be a mother and that she would most likely deliver without her husband.

And with that, Hazel Levesque-Zhang promptly passed out.

**Hee hee, I couldn't resist that last line. It seemed like something only Hazel would do XD I love Frazel, don't you? I mean, they're so freaking perfect together! I'm so sorry if any of this stuff about pregnancy is wrong – please let me know! I've never been pregnant and got most of the info from my mother xD Anyway. Please read and review! Love you guys! Join us next week, same **_**Sisterhood **_**time, same **_**Sisterhood **_**channel! Next up is Annabeth! **


	7. Annabeth: Pillar

**Hi guys! Thanks for all the reviews, you don't know how much it makes my day to check my email and see one xD *hands out blue pancakes* **

**Disclaimer: nope. Still don't own it. **

_**Annabeth – Pillar**_

"_Mo-o-ommy, _are we _there yet?!" _Annabeth resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her daughter's overdramatic inquiry. She grimaced at the thought of what Laurel would be like ten or twelve years from now: it would practically be like having a second Percy in the house. _Don't think about him, _she silently scolded herself. _Or else you'll end up crying. Again. _

"_MOMMYYY_!"

Annabeth gritted her teeth. "Laurel, _please, _I'm trying the best I can. We've never been to this park before and I'm trying to get there." Laurel sat back with a small huff, crossing her arms; but she broke into a huge smile when she saw a butterfly outside the window. She really _was _like a second Percy in the fact that her attention quickly turned from one thing to another.

Annabeth glanced at her GPS. Almost there, then she could get these two rascals out of her hair for a couple of hours. Since it was a Saturday, the wives had all agreed to meet at a new park so their kids could meet one another. Annabeth thought it was a bit silly, considering that the next oldest child to her twins was six years older. But as the morning passed and the twins' (mainly Laurel's) energy grew she decided it was a good idea.

She glanced in the rearview mirror. They were both quiet for the moment. Annabeth's grey eyes traveled over to Miles, sitting so sullen. Miles was usually just as hyperactive as Laurel; the two of them did everything together. After Percy left Miles got more and more quiet, still playing with Laurel but with not as much enthusiasm. Annabeth dared to believe that Miles missed his father as much as she did. She could tell Laurel missed him too, but in a different way. Laurel covered it up and joked around to hide the pain; Percy did the exact same thing at times.

"Mommy?" Annabeth smiled. It had been a while since she heard her son's voice.

"Yes, Miles?"

"Laurel is touching me."

"Laurel, don't bother your brother please."

"I wasn't!" Laurel protested, her blonde curls falling in her face. "He was just there when I happened to stretch!" Yep. Just like Percy.

"Laurel, how many times – "

"Mommy!" Miles cried. "She's too close! She's breathing my air!"

"I was NOT – "

"Here we are!" Annabeth shouted above both of them as she pulled into the parking lot. The other wives had already arrived. The twins' argument turned into cheers of joy as they unbuckled themselves and raced out of the car.

"Cool!" Miles bolted forward towards the giant slide. "Laurel, that slide is _huge!_ Lets go!" Laurel beat her brother to it. Annabeth felt a small smile come to her face; it seemed like her children were the only bright lights in this tunnel of darkness she was in.

Annabeth blinked her sleepy eyes and rubbed her sore neck muscles; last night it had occurred to her that she wasn't just low in spirits, she was tense beyond reason. Her jaw ached whenever she woke up in the mornings, like she had been grinding her teeth all night. Even her cheekbones hurt when she gently rubbed them with her fingertips.

Percy and the other men were now officially in Afghanistan, on enemy lines. They were about ten and a half hours ahead of her time, so while Annabeth was up and awake, Percy was asleep. The thought that Percy might get injured or killed while she was sleeping on the other side of the world was so unnerving that it kept her _from_ sleeping a lot of the time.

"Hey, Annabeth." Thalia had come and stood next to her. "Glad you could make it." Her light blue eyes lit up in concern. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah; I'm fine." Thalia raised an eyebrow. Annabeth sighed. "Really, I'm okay. I'm just not sleeping well at night, that's all." Well, at least it was halfway true.

Thankfully, Thalia smiled. "Yeah, me neither. Nico always had an arm around me while I slept and I never knew how comforting it was until he left…"

Annabeth's tears blurred her vision as she forced a smile. "I know what you mean. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss his hearing his snores." A tear managed to sneak down her cheek and hit the grass. _Crap. Hadn't planned on that happening. _

"Annabeth?" a gentle hand touched her shoulder. "I think we both know you're _not _fine."

Ever since she was a little girl, Annabeth had been strong. She had been a leaning post when her mother had died and her father was overcome with grief; she had toughed it out when her first real boyfriend dumped her; she had become a pillar, holding up all of her troubles and woes. She had to be strong for the other wives, for Percy, for her children.

Annabeth wiped her cheeks. "I'm okay, Thalia, really. I…I haven't been sleeping well, and when I'm overly tired I get really emotional." She nearly scoffed at herself. _What a pathetic excuse. _

Thalia was silent for a moment, stroking Annabeth's golden curls in an almost motherly way. "Okay. You can tell me the real reason when you're ready."

A shrill scream sliced through the air, and Laurel came running up, her sea green eyes wide with terror. "Mommy! _Mommy I just saw a spider, and it was __this__ big!" _she spread her small fingers about an inch apart. She buried her face in her mother's jeans and wrapped her arms around them, suddenly breaking into sobs. "I wish Daddy was here so he could squish it…"

Annabeth stroked her daughter's honey-blonde curls. "Believe me, kiddo. I do, too." Another tear burned down her cheek and into her daughter's hair, turning it a tarnished gold.

**Poor Annabeth. I suffer from depression myself, and some days I can't even drag myself out of bed. But, thanks to modern medicine and counseling I am healing. It's been a part of me for so long that I don't really think it will ever go away. It's the cross I have to bear, I suppose. Any of you suffer from depression? You're not alone, and if any of you need to talk please message me! I sincerely mean it!**

**Next up is Calypso! :D Reviews please! I'll make…uh…. *checks list of things author has already made* um…how about blue sour straws? XD Thanks, guys! **


	8. Calypso: Letters

**Hey there! Thanks for the reviews, even if I didn't get as much as I'd like *cough cough*. Oh well, life goes on. :) **

**Disclaimer: *gets phone call* "guess what? You officially own Percy Jackson!" COOL! "APRIL FOOLS!" *caller hangs up* …..it isn't even April, you stupidhead! **

_**Calypso – Letter**_

Calypso hummed to herself as she opened the mailbox. She grabbed the stack of mail and walked back inside the apartment building. Today had been a good day: she passed an important exam at school and had rewarded herself by getting a tub of butter pecan ice cream, her favorite. The next lunch with the wives was this afternoon at her favorite restaurant. Calypso smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Life was good!

She sat at the kitchen table and sorted through the mail. Bills, coupons, and….a letter from Leo! _Wow, today has really been my day! _She thought as she eagerly opened the envelope. Alongside a piece of paper scrawled with Leo's messy handwriting was a small photo. Five men were standing side by side, arms around one another in uniform. Leo was in the middle, his wild and unruly hair sticking up in all directions as usual. On Leo's right was a blonde haired, blue eyed man with a scar on his upper lip wearing a colonel's badge. _That must be Jason. Piper mentioned he was a colonel. Wow, he looks awfully young! _Next to Jason was a rather short man with a serious expression and big, dark eyes. Calypso recognized him as Nico, Thalia's husband. On Leo's left was Percy, gorgeous as ever with his green eyes and thick hair. Calypso's heart hurt a little when she saw his face. And on the very end was a tall Chinese man with a kind face; Frank.

Calypso smiled and laid the picture aside. She opened Leo's letter, reading it faster than she could comprehend:

_Hey there, Sunshine!_

_So, here we are – Afghanistan! I sent a picture of the guys and me when we first arrived. A 13 hour flight is NOT fun; we all got so bored playing "I Spy" (there's not much to see out an airplane window) and I was seriously about to jump out of the plane when we finally landed. If you ever go to Afghanistan (and I seriously hope you don't) BRING CHAPSTICK. The air is so ridiculously dry. _

_Anyway, we've been here for almost two weeks and it's already gotten scary at some points. I can't really write the details – top secret military stuff – but all I have to say is that I'm grateful me and the guys are alive. It's so weird not having you around – I miss your voice telling me to pick up my crap! _

_The guys and I are keeping things light with games and pranks. Percy and I stole Frank's clothes while he was in the shower the other day – he refused to come out of the bathroom until we returned them. Even Jason thought it was funny, but he ordered us to put his clothes back. Nico is quiet, but a real trooper. Jason is probably the hardest worker out of all of us, but he's really fair and only yells when necessary. _

_I mostly work on the tanks, but I've done as much combat as the rest of the guys. I never pictured myself holding a gun but you gotta do what you gotta do. _

_I miss you, Sunshine! Love ya! _

_Leo_

Calypso put the letter back in the envelope, a bit worried; the army said they would mainly use Leo as a mechanic, fixing tanks and other army vehicles. But Leo said in the letter that he had already been in some combat. What if he got seriously hurt, or even killed? Calypso shook her head, trying to shoo away the negative thoughts. Leo would come back to her. She hoped he would, anyway.

Calypso glanced at the last letter, and her breath hitched in her throat. The return address was from her father, or as Calypso liked to call him "the Devil himself". But what on earth would her father want with her? She left her old home and moved in with Leo as soon as possible for a reason. And she had made Leo promise that he would never ask her about her old life, and Leo was fine with it.

And so Calypso did to that letter what she did with all the other ones that came in the past: burned it to a crisp.

_Later _

The other wives gushed over the picture from Leo's letter that Calypso had brought along.

"I never realized how much Felix looked like Jason," Piper said softly. "they've even got the same nose!" Thalia traced the outline of her husband's cheek with her finger. "I wish you were here," was all she said. Hazel gazed at Frank, her eyes glazed with tears. Annabeth said nothing, but Calypso could see the bags under her eyes.

"I thought you guys would like it," Calypso said, smiling. "Leo also said in his letter that they keep themselves busy with pranks." She glanced over at Hazel. "The other day he and Percy stole Frank's clothes while he was in the shower!"

Hazel burst out laughing, nearly spitting out her water. "I can totally see Frank's face if that happened!"

Annabeth managed a small smile. "That's totally something Percy would do…"

Calypso chuckled, taking a sip of her lemon water. Her nerves were still a bit jumpy from receiving the letter from her father, but she hoped that it didn't show to the other wives. Of all the people besides Leo, they were the ones she didn't want to know about her past. She wished erasing her past was as simple as burning a letter to ashes.


	9. Thalia: Secrets

**Guys. **_**GUYS**__**. ONLY 9 DAYS LEFT TILL BLOOD OF OLYMPUS! ONLY 9 DAYS TILL INTENSE SOBBING, BROKEN FEELINGS, GIRLY SQUEALS AND MANIACAL SCREAMING! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! **_

**Disclaimer: Do I look like a fifty-something year old man? (Sorry, Uncle Rick – I don't know how old you are XD) Nope, I'm actually a GIRL XD Wow, that would be a big plot twist: RICK RIORDAN IS A WOMAN! Lol! **

_**Thalia – Secrets**_

"Thalia, are you alright?" Piper asked after swallowing a bite of her Caesar salad. Thalia dragged a French fry though a puddle of ketchup and munched on it quietly. After swallowing, she looked up at the other wives, their faces embedded with concern.

Thalia sighed. "I'm doing okay. I could be better. I just haven't been getting much sleep." She munched on another fry, knowing that the makeup she put on this morning could only hide so much of the dark rings around her eyes. "It's just strange, not having Nico next to me while I sleep. He always had his arm around me." She smiled sadly.

There was an initial chorus of "Yeahs" and nods of agreement. Now that the men were officially on enemy lines, they could all feel one another's tension.

"I'm not sleeping well either," Annabeth piped up. "the twins aren't doing all that well; Laurel is emotional and sulky and Miles is getting more and more quiet. The other night I awoke to Miles crying – which isn't unusual, he has nightmares a lot – and when I asked him what his nightmare was about, he said it was that his daddy got killed. About broke my heart." She shook her head, her wavy blonde hair bouncing. "I mean, how do you explain to them that their dad just _might _die on the other side of the world?"

"In a way," Hazel began slowly, "I'm glad Frank and I don't have any kids…yet." She and Calypso glanced at each other with uncertainty. "But I'd still be just as heartbroken as any child if he died." Sudden tears filled Hazel's cinnamon brown eyes. "We haven't even been married one year, and I can't imagine life without him." Calypso put an arm around Hazel's shoulder and squeezed.

Piper leaned forward. "That's why I'm so grateful to have all of you. No one else really knows the stress of deployment. Someone came up to me the other day and said she knew how I felt because her husband was gone on business trips a lot of the time." She rolled her eyes.

Calypso, who was usually quiet during the lunches, spoke up. "It's not the same. On business trips, their husbands get to sleep in a warm bed, while ours sleep in tents. They get to come home every couple of weeks, while we don't see ours for - " she paused. "Thalia, what's wrong?"

Thalia instantly put a hand up to her cheeks. They were wet. She hadn't even realized she was crying. Thalia _never _cried (with the exception of Nico leaving), and when she did she never let anyone see it. But here she was, right in the middle of Outback Steakhouse, crying. _Good freaking grief, get a grip! _She scolded herself.

"I…" Thalia paused and gulped as more tears ran down her face. "I just really wish Nico was home right now. Maria, my oldest has been going off the d-deep end!" She buried her face in her napkin, trying to hush her sobs.

Annabeth instantly scooted over and took Thalia's hand in hers with more sympathy than Thalia could understand. "What's been going on?"

Thalia wiped her eyes, looking at the four distinct women. "S-Sorry, this is so unlike me."

"There's no need to apologize," Piper said soothingly, concern showing deep in her multicolored eyes. "But what's wrong? You can tell us, that's what we're here for."

Thalia twisted her napkin in her hands, debating whether or not to tell. As she looked into each of the women's faces, the dam burst. "It's just…Maria has been making such stupid decisions. She's f-failing school, which is so unlike her. She's temperamental and moody, which isn't unusual but it's intensified so much it's…scaring me." Thalia squeezed her eyes shut, letting the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Hazel said, her eyes wide with alarm.

"That's not all," Thalia said. "She's been sneaking out and going to these insane parties. I mean, I went to some parties when I was young but the ones she's going to are truly wild. Last night, at about two in the freaking morning, the doorbell rang." Thalia shuddered when she remembered the events of the previous nights. The doorbell ringing at two in the morning was enough to give her a heart attack. But instead of two men in army green uniforms like she expected, they were wearing navy blue ones. And they had her daughter.

"The police brought her home, saying she was at this insane party where there were drugs and alcohol involved. After I brought her inside, Maria swore she didn't try anything, but I could smell the booze on her breath. And then…I noticed something in her pocket." Thalia closed her eyes, the memory still sharp and aching. "I took it, and…it was a baggy of mixed pills."

All the wives around the table took a sharp intake of breath. Thalia looked at the ceiling, her eyes now red and raw. "How could she be so stupid?! How could she think that _I _was so stupid that I wouldn't notice the alcohol on her breath or the pills? We had a huge fight, and she blamed everything on Nico being gone, saying crap about how if her Dad really loved her he would come home and be with her." She lowered her head in defeat. "She's always been a daddy's girl, since the day she was born. Having him gone is _killing _her! What can I do to turn her away from drugs and alcohol and…stop looking for attention in the wrong places?" Thalia glanced at each wife pleadingly.

"I…I wish I had a good answer," Annabeth said, sounding close to tears herself.

"I was a rebel in my own house," Calypso said quietly. "I snuck out a lot, but never did drugs or anything like that." She looked at Thalia with her deep brown eyes. "I don't know what to say…"

Thalia nodded, wiping her eyes again. "I want Nico to come home more than anything, but I can't give her that. I've had to play second fiddle. I worry that she'll get pregnant or in jail or worse. That bag of pills…what else has she done that I don't know about? How often has she snuck out before I noticed she was doing it? I feel like a total failure as a mother! A real mom would notice it right off the bat! She needs help and counseling, but I don't know how I can get her to go. Her dad was the one she always talked to."

Everyone sat still, listening to Thalia's story. _I am a failure as a mother, _Thalia thought miserably. Thalia hadn't exactly had the perfect childhood; her mother drank and she never knew her father – she only knew he was a very powerful business man and sent her mother money to keep Thalia a secret. When Thalia finally got out of that god-forsaken place she made a vow that she would never, ever be like her mother. _I'm no better than Mom was. _

"If Nico were here, she wouldn't be acting this way. He'd know what was happening right before it started. I know that for a fact. So now _I'm _starting to feel the way she does; I'm starting to resent him for being all gung-ho about the army." Thalia's voice cracked with emotion. "I'm mad that he left right when she needed him. I'm afraid that if she drives her life into a ditch, I'll blame Nico for it." She looked up through her eyelashes at the other wives. "Isn't that horrible?"

After a moment of silence, Piper spoke up. "It's not horrible. It's real, and it's painful."

"But we're here for you," Annabeth added softly.

Thalia choked back another sob. "You guys are the best." And with that the wives wrapped their arms around one another, heads together, every cheek wet with tears.

**Wow. I think that's the longest chapter I've ever written for Fanfiction XD Poor Thalia. I know I've felt like a failure on more than one occasion. What about you guys? Have any of you ever felt like you've failed? You're not alone. Like Annabeth said, I'm here for you guys. Message me if you ever need to talk. I mean it. **


	10. Piper: Smoke

**HAPPY BLOOD OF OLYMPUS DAY! *blows kazoo* unfortunately, my signed copy won't be arriving in the mail until the end of this month. :( SO NO SPOILERS! Please and thank you! **

**Disclaimer: I own two puppies, a laptop and a phone, but not PJO or HOO. Sorry!**

_**Piper – Smoke**_

The moon shone brightly from the sky. Piper ripped another sheet of paper out of the notebook, crumpling it up and placing it in the center of the fire pit. With each sheet of paper tearing away from the spiral bound notebook, Piper felt her tense muscles loosening. But only a little bit. What would _really _help is if Jason was home, her baby wasn't sick and her father was back in Oklahoma. Ripping and crumpling paper into small balls would have to do for now.

Thanks to her father, Piper felt like a walking, talking time bomb.

On the lined pages were all of her frustrations and worries. She documented what it was like daily to take care of someone dying of cancer and the other wives. Piper never had a mother, so she felt a deep need to be a mother figure to the other women, even if she was one of the youngest ones there. While the other wives shared their burdens – or the main parts of them – Piper stayed silent. Yes, she was just as stressed as the other wives, but she knew the minute she opened her mouth and told them about her Dad, the time bomb would explode and the maternal front she put on would crumble.

Piper wore a lot of masks. Her father taught her how.

All of the pieces of paper were titled, "Dear Jason" even though she knew she would never send them. She didn't want her sweet, gentle husband to see how petty she could be. Besides, Jason had enough to worry about over there; he didn't need _her _anxiety and worries on top of his. Today's consisted of just mental garbage she needed to clear out – like how, according to her dad, the house was too hot. Then too cold. Then too hot again. Piper couldn't see why her Dad couldn't just put on a sweater or something.

Piper felt like she had a "Good Piper" side and a "Bad Piper" side. Mainly, she was "Good Piper": loving, willing to help out, and sweet. "Bad Piper" was the one that prowled around whenever she was near her father.

Bad Piper grumbled about how her dad would just leave her alone.

Good Piper pointed out that he was dying and had no family left.

Bad Piper shot back that maybe if her sorry excuse of a mother hadn't left, she would be doing this. Not her.

Good Piper mentioned that it was sad that her mother didn't even know that the man she bore a child with was dying.

Bad Piper said a few choice words.

The real Piper wanted to scream.

After tearing out all the paper, Piper laid some kindling across the crumpled pages and then set down the logs. She picked up the baby monitor and listened closely: little Felix was breathing steadily, and Piper sighed with relief. Her poor baby had been coughing all day with a runny nose. At least now he was asleep.

Piper lit the fire and sat in her camping chair, watching the flames lick up the paper. It brought her a strange sense of relief. Now no one would ever read them, not even her father. Piper broke a graham cracker, grabbed a piece of chocolate and put a marshmallow on a roasting stick. When it was golden brown, Piper laid it between the chocolate and graham crackers and munched. _Chocolate makes everything better. S'mores are the next best thing. _

She was on her second s'more when "Superman" by Taylor Swift blared from her back pocket. _Jason! _She immediately dropped the s'more and clicked ANSWER. "Hello?"

"Hey, Pipes."

Hearing Jason's voice after a very hard day sent tears running down Piper's cheeks. "Hey, Superman…" she said thickly.

"I thought you wouldn't answer, it must be around one in the morning over there." He paused, and then asked "Are you crying?"

"….No." the very word sent her voice cracking.

"Pipes," Jason began. "what's the matter? Is it Felix? Your dad?"

Piper wiped her eyes. "It's just been a really rough day. I'm sitting outside making s'mores and pigging out."

"I'm sorry it was so rough today," Jason's voice held that tone of gentleness she loved so much. "What happened?"

"Felix is sick and my dad is kind of unbearable at the moment." Piper nearly smacked herself; why on earth was she telling him about her bad day when he had so many other things to worry about? Oh, well; Jason would've gotten it out of her sooner or later.

"Poor little man," Jason said softly. "I miss him so much, almost as much as I miss you." That brought a smile to Piper's face. "And I'm sorry your dad isn't much better. He must be in a lot of pain. The few times I saw him he was always really friendly."

Piper almost snorted into the phone, but she hushed herself. "Yeah. But enough about me. How are things going over there?"

Her husband sighed. "They're…going. I'm really glad to have these guys in my squad. They're all so dedicated and hard-working." He paused. "Every day I tell myself that I might lose one of them, and it might be my fault if one of them dies. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if that happened; these guys are the brothers I've never had." Jason sounded about ten times older than usual. Piper was at a loss for words. She had never heard her husband get so down on himself before. But then again, he had four lives upon his shoulders.

And Piper thought caring for someone with cancer and a sick baby was bad.

"You still there?" Jason asked quietly.

"Yeah, I just…don't know what to say." Piper replied honestly. "Their wives have kind of become my lifeline. Besides Felix, they're the only ones keeping me sane and the only ones who know what I'm going through. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I kinda feel the same way. But not really."

Jason chuckled, sending shivers down Piper's spine from over a thousand miles away. "I get what you're saying. But you should get to bed, love."

Piper pulled her knees up to her chest. "I know, but…" she paused as another wave of tears glazed her eyes. "I'm just glad you called. I miss you so much."

"I know, love. I miss you too. I've got to go now, I just had enough time to call and say hello. Give Felix a big hug from me, okay?"

"Okay."

"Alright. Love you, Pipes."

"Love you too, Superman."

"Good night."

"Good morning. Be safe."

Piper pressed the END button reluctantly, longing for at least a few more minutes to talk to her husband. She got up from her chair and put out the fire, sending billows of smoke carrying the ashes of her feelings up into the sky.

**Geez, talk about an angsty chapter XD Eh, I've been in kind of an angsty mood lately. Please tell me what you think! I didn't think this one was my best chapter, but I did my best. Read and review! I'll make blue smoothies! **


	11. Hazel: Confessions

**Hey hey hoo, my favorite readers! Thanks so much for all the reviews – this is the most attention I've ever got on a story and I hope it continues XD **

**Special thanks to catsrawesome, WKYMODOE67, and Amber Ember7 for their amazing support for this story. You guys are the best! 3 **

_**Hazel – Confessions**_

Small movements in her lower abdomen made Hazel choke. She inhaled the Earl Grey tea she was swallowing, the hot liquid reaching her lungs instead of her stomach. Coughs racked her small frame and tears stung her eyes as she gagged. When it was over, Hazel's hands immediately went to her abdomen. What in the world _was _that? She was just lying down, reading a new book and sipping tea when it happened.

Hunger pains? No, she just ate. But then again, she was a lot hungrier than she used to be. Gas, maybe? Definitely not. Hazel sat still, breathing hard, her mind in a tailspin: what if something was wrong with the baby? She just had a checkup yesterday, and everything was fine. Could something bad happen to her child that fast?

And then, it happened again. A small, almost nonexistent flutter; like a butterfly. As soon as it happened, it was gone again. Hazel reached for her phone, ready to call Calypso and ask her what was going on when the realization came to her: it was a kick. Her baby was kicking.

The thought made Hazel so happy that she burst into tears.

_One week later_

Hazel stood up, hitching her purse over her shoulder. "I've got to go, I have to go back to work in about twenty minutes." She made a face as she remembered what happened yesterday while she was breaking a black paint horse: the smell of horse droppings made her throw up. Since becoming pregnant she seemed to have an almost superhuman sense of smell.

Thalia was at eye level with Hazel's stomach and noticed her rather round tummy. She smirked, knowing very well what it meant. "Hazel?" She said, swallowing a bite of pasta and pointing at Hazel's tummy with her fork. "Do you have something to tell us?"

Hazel blushed, her hands flying to her protruding stomach. "I – um – " she glanced at Calypso, who smiled sadly and shrugged, showing that she kept the secret. Hazel's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yeah. I'm almost four months along."

The other wives whooped and cheered, and Calypso acted as if she never knew.

"I mean, it didn't turn out the way I planned it," Hazel said quietly. "I mean, Frank won't be back until the baby is crawling or something."

"But that's so wonderful!" Annabeth said. "You'll be a great mom!"

"When are you due?" Piper demanded.

"March," Hazel said. "Late March, around the end of the month." She smiled shyly. "It was…quite a surprise, honestly."

"Don't worry," Calypso said soothingly. "We'll all help you."

"Of course we will!" Thalia said, shaking her head and chuckling. "Good grief, Hazel, why did you keep this a secret from us for so long?"

Hazel laughed. "Thanks, guys." She bit her lip, purposely avoiding Thalia's question. "I'd better go. I'll see you all next week."

"Call us if you need anything!" Piper said as Hazel walked away.

_Later that evening_

The phone rang, and Hazel pounced on it. "Hello?"

"Hi, Hazel."

A slow smile crept across Hazel's face. It was her best friend. "Hi, sweetheart." She cradled the phone next to her ear. "How are you?"

"I'm alright. I've got to report on duty in about fifteen minutes, so I only have a little time to talk."

"That's alright," Hazel said. "I'm so glad you called. I miss you!"

"I miss you too."

Hazel glanced around the master bedroom of their tiny apartment: it felt bigger and emptier than usual with Frank gone. And there was still a weight on her chest from not telling him about the baby; even the wives knew.

"Hang on just a second," Frank said. She could hear him lay the phone down and yell to a guy named Valdez about something with shaving cream. Hazel chuckled to herself; apparently the pranks done by Calypso's fiancé and Annabeth's husband was still going.

Hearing Frank's voice on the phone sent a thrill through Hazel, exactly like the ones she had when they were dating and they would stay up late talking on the phone. Her wedding ring was a constant reminder that they were, in fact, married. As she waited, her hand went to her tummy and she pressed her lips together. Hazel was _more _than just married to him; she was having his child. She needed to tell him, but how? He would be so happy, but Hazel knew for a fact she couldn't deliver a baby without her husband there.

Hazel would always assume that she would have trouble getting pregnant, since she was an only child and was considered a miracle baby. Getting pregnant so fast shocked her, to say the least.

"Sorry," Frank's voice came through the line. "I had to talk to someone about something. We're gonna do something for Halloween and the guys wanted my opinion on an idea."

Hazel realized that it wouldn't be too long before she had a little one in a Halloween costume. It wasn't even that long ago that _she _was the one dressing up and going door to door for candy. "Sounds fun," she said. "I'll probably just answer the door with a bag of chocolate, assuming I don't eat it first."

Frank let out a booming laugh. "Percy wants to make a piñata of the enemy and fill it with hard candy. Anything soft melts by the time it gets here."

As they chatted, Hazel tried to work in the baby news. But how to do it? _Hey Frank, you like babies? Cause I'm having one. I've got a surprise. It starts with a B and ends in "aby". You're going to be a dad, Frank! Congrats! _None of those seemed right.

"…but enough about me," Frank's voice pulled her back to reality. "Anything new over there?"

"Well, actually, there is something new." Hazel clamped her mouth shut as soon as the words left her mouth, feeling strangely ashamed; how could she tell her own husband that she was pregnant over something as impersonal as a phone call? _Could've been worse, _Hazel thought. _This could've been over IM or Facebook…at least you'll hear the reaction in his voice. _

When she didn't say anything more, Frank questioned. "Oh? What's that?"

Hazel panicked. She had to tell him something. "I'm, uh, going to repaint the apartment!" she said, which was half true; the people who lived in it before her had painted the walls a dismal gray color, which she and Frank hated. "Just probably something light, like a yellow or green."

"Sounds great," Frank said happily. "I was getting really sick of that gray color."

"Me too," Hazel said quietly.

"I've got to get to work now. I love you!"

"I love you too, sweetheart. Be safe!"

The phone clicked, signaling that Frank had already hung up. Hazel tugged on her curls, wanting to bang her head against a wall: how could she have chickened out on something so important? In a few weeks she would have the ultrasound, and she couldn't go _that _far into being pregnant without telling him about it.

Hazel let out a deep sigh and looked down at her belly. "You're going to have a great dad." _At least you'll have one good parent…_

Hazel reached for her cell phone to plug it in, but to her great surprise it rang again. "Hello?"

"Sorry, it's me again." Frank. She had to tell him. Now. "I just have a quick question."

"Fire away," Hazel reached for some paper, assuming he would ask for something to mail him.

"Colonel Grace just congratulated me. What's going on?"

Hazel's lungs couldn't seem to get air. She jumped to her feet and paced the room, breathing hard. _Of course _the other wives would tell their husbands about the baby. Hazel thought they would sooner or later, but now? They'd only known for a few hours, for crying out loud!

"Yo, Zhang!" another voice came in through the phone. "Congrats, I heard you're gonna be a dad!"

"Didn't know you had it in you, Zhang!" another soldier yelled.

Hazel face palmed; yep, the wives told their husbands. _Great. _

There was silence on the other end of the line. And then, "Is it true? Am…am I going to be a dad?" Frank's voice was filled with awe and something else – hurt.

"Yes," Hazel said quietly.

"Hazel," Frank said gently. "Why didn't you tell me?"

_Because I didn't know until after you were gone, and then I wanted to be sure I didn't lose it. _"I…I didn't know how." At least that was honest.

"Why not?"

Hazel's throat began to close up as tears blurred her vision. "Please don't be mad! I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I didn't know how because I didn't know until after you were gone, and – "

"Hazel!" Frank cut her off. "Hazel, honey, it's alright." The hurt in his voice was gone. "I understand."

Hazel shook her head. "No, it's not alright! You're my husband, I should have told you as soon as I found out. I'm sorry, I…" Hazel found herself saying what she wanted to say for months. "I'm just so scared. I don't want to do this without you." Tears trickled down her cheeks.

"It's _okay, _Hazel." Frank continued. His gentle tone made Hazel melt. "We'll get through this. I love you, okay? You're going to be a wonderful mother."

**Dawwwwww, isn't that sweet? XD I love Frazel! Read and review! **


	12. Annabeth: Miracle

**Thanks for the reviews! You guys are wonderful! A lot of you said the chapters were getting sadder – and this is a somewhat sad story – but here's a nice, comforting chapter for you. You guys deserve it :) **

**Disclaimer: If I owned PJO/HOO, it wouldn't be nearly as awesome if Uncle Rick did it ;) so, nope. Don't own it. **

_**Annabeth – Miracle**_

It was midnight, and Annabeth was scrubbing a pot that refused to get clean. Scowling, she dunked it back under the hot, soapy water and viciously washed the pot with a sponge. Despite her arm moving back and forth, her eyelids drooped. This was the third night she had gone without sleep.

Percy had called earlier, right before she put the twins to bed. The world had stopped spinning when she heard his voice, even if it was only for a few minutes. Hanging up was the worst; that was when the world started turning on its axis again. Annabeth paid dearly for the joy she felt during the call when her emotions slammed the pavement.

Annabeth had always been a worrier, but only worried when it came to rational things; like her report card when she was in school or whether or not she would pass a test. Now that Percy was gone, her anxiety seemed to be spiraling. She was nervous about _everything_ now – she would find herself checking all the doors and windows, making sure they were locked. Annabeth had _never _done that before.

Even after washing the pot, Annabeth was still wound up. She checked on her children, making sure they were asleep. Her heart broke a little when she noticed the dry streaks on Miles' cheeks. He probably had another nightmare. _If he had a nightmare, why didn't he come and get me? _Annabeth wondered. And then she remembered what Calypso said at one of the lunches: _"When you get stressed, your kids feel it, too. It makes them worried." _

Annabeth wanted to bang her head against a wall. But instead, she went downstairs and watched a movie; some kind of cheesy, romantic comedy that made her cry and made her miss Percy even more.

At around three-thirty, Annabeth forced herself up the stairs and into bed. She tried everything: holding a pillow, listening to music, even counting sheep – but she couldn't sleep. Every few minutes – after trying not to think about men with rifles and RPGs aimed at her husband – she would open her eyes and stare at the alarm clock. The numbers passed too quickly into the wee hours of the morning, and she started to panic that if she didn't get to sleep, she would be a zombie. But worry triumphed over fatigue.

When Annabeth first lay down, she had four hours to get to sleep before her alarm went off. Now it was three. _If I get to sleep soon, I could still get a solid three hours. _But nothing worked. Three hours…then two hours….two and a half…

Now she was down to one. One hour was all she had to get dressed, feed the twins and drop them off at preschool. _This is my third night without sleep. I probably look like a zombie. _She closed her eyes in defeat. _I have to take the twins in an hour. I can't do it. _

The bedroom door burst open, as if on cue. "Morning, Mama!" Laurel cried, jumping on the bed and throwing her arms around her mother.

Annabeth nearly burst into tears, but she held them back. She would _not _cry. "Morning, sweetie," she said, sitting up and ruffling her hair.

Miles followed his sister. "Yay! You're awake!"

Annabeth planted a kiss on her son's head. Looking at their faces, she knew that in spite of everything they needed to get on with the day. She remembered something her father had told her after her mother died: _"When life gets hard, we don't stop moving; that's when we need to move all the harder and faster." _

But oh, how she longed to stay home! Annabeth knew what today would consist of: wrestling the twins into the car – totally sleep deprived – while seeing other perfect families drop off their kids and having a good day. And if the twins wouldn't go to preschool, she would spend at least an hour with them and slip out when they weren't looking. She'd rather stay at home and try to regain some of her sanity.

_I'm whining again, _Annabeth told herself. _Whining doesn't solve anything. _But it did make her feel better – for the moment.

"Is today school day?" Miles asked, bouncing on his knees.

Annabeth sighed and swung her legs out of bed. "Yes, it's Monday." _I wonder if I'll even be able to shower before we go. _An hour – actually, now it was 45 minutes – was cutting it so close. She would barely have time to feed the kids breakfast and drop them off. She climbed out of bed and marshaled the troops. "You guys want cereal?"

After she poured the kids their milk and cereal, she casually strolled by the computer to check if Percy had sent any emails overnight. _Modern technology is a blessing and a curse. _She felt like a leashed tied her to the computer; checking her email was such a need now, almost an addiction. No word from Percy. Of course not; they had just left on a mission and wouldn't be back for a couple of days. She couldn't help feeling disappointed anyway.

Thirty five minutes later – after a milk lake crisis and a missing shoe – a shower was clearly out of the question. Annabeth threw her hair in a messy ponytail and shepherded the twins to the car. They were late, of course.

As she ushered the kids into the preschool, a few moms gave her sympathetic smiles. One woman in particular, however, raised an eyebrow and blew out a breath that sounded suspiciously like a snort. _Hey, I'm here. At least give me that much credit. _

To her surprise, the kids happily hugged her and made their way over to the toys. Annabeth let out a sigh of relief as she got back in her car and headed home. After unlocking the door and setting down her bag, the doorbell rang. Annabeth groaned. _Oh my word, I don't exactly need a visitor right now!_

She opened the front door, and Thalia stood there. "Oh, Thalia. Hey." Annabeth said, trying to put on a smile.

"Hey there," Thalia said, concern etching her features. "I was…um…in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by." Something in her voice told Annabeth that wasn't the real reason.

"Oh, well…hi." Annabeth said with uncertainty.

Thalia sighed. "Wow, you're good." She hitched her purse strap up her shoulder. "The truth is, you've been on my mind a lot. How are you doing? Really?"

"Fine." But the moment the word came out, the floodgates opened. She couldn't speak. Tears built up and tumbled down her cheeks.

Thalia immediately dropped her bag and embraced Annabeth. Despite not knowing her all that well, Annabeth hugged her back, sobbing against her leather jacket.

"What would help?" Thalia asked quietly after Annabeth's sobs quieted down.

_Besides Percy coming home? _Annabeth shook her head. "I…I don't know."

Thalia pulled back and stared at Annabeth's face. "I'm gonna tell the other wives you need some meals this week, okay?"

Annabeth had a lot of pride and usually hated admitting to need help, but she nodded in defeat. "That would be wonderful."

"And I'll arrange babysitting for tomorrow so you can get some rest. You need it." Thalia shook her head as Annabeth began to protest. "Don't even think about protesting. I _want_ to do this, okay?"

Annabeth nodded, still crying. "Thank you."

_The Next Day_

The twins were playing at Thalia's house. Annabeth had warned her that they were a handful, but Thalia shook it off. "Come pick them up whenever you're ready. Go out to lunch or something." Annabeth arched an eyebrow, but Thalia insisted. "You look worn out, girl. Take a break!"

Annabeth lay on her bed, holding one of Percy's t-shirts. Anxiety came in big waves, drowning her, but the second she pressed her nose into the shirt and inhaled Percy's scent, it went away. His signature smell of Old Spice wasn't exactly like having him here, but it was good enough for now.

And so, with her nose buried in her husband's shirt and her anxiety at ease, Annabeth's exhaustion gave way. For the first time in four days, she was blessed by falling into a quiet, easy, dreamless sleep.

**Thalia rocks, doesn't she? I would love to have her as a friend, or an older sister. I personally loved writing this one! I've suffered from severe anxiety since I was in fifth grade, and at moments it truly did feel like I was drowning in this ocean of fear. But, modern medicine and counseling have saved me. Do any of you guys suffer from anxiety? You're not alone. I'm here to talk if you guys need to. Like Thalia said, don't even think about protesting; if you want to talk, I'll help. **


	13. Calypso: Haunted

**HOLY HEPHAESTUS, YOU GUYS. I JUST FINISHED BLOOD OF OLYMPUS AND I'VE BEEN CRYING ON AND OFF FOR A WHILE BECAUSE IT ALL ENDED **_**SO – FREAKING – **__**BEAUTIFULLY**__**!**_** But that's all I'm gonna say about that. I know a lot of you haven't read it yet ;) **

**Wow. I am honestly so touched by your guys' reviews, telling me I hit the nail on the head and that I'm an amazing writer. You don't know how much that makes my day! Its people like you all that give me hope for eventually publishing a book of my own one day. So thanks, everyone! **

**Disclaimer: is this really necessary? **

_**Calypso – Haunted**_

It was fall now. There was a nip in the air and the leaves turned into many different shades of oranges and yellows. Tonight was Halloween, and Annabeth had planned a little get-together with the other wives. Calypso was surprised when she heard this; Annabeth looked like she was ready to fall apart any minute, but she didn't protest.

She pulled into Annabeth's parking lot and saw children of all ages in Halloween costumes on the front lawn. There was a blonde girl with ringlets dressed as Elsa from Frozen; that had to be Laurel, one of Annabeth's twins. A young boy who looked about ten was Batman – that had to be Thalia's youngest, Tyson. Calypso turned off the ignition and walked up the steps to Annabeth's two-story home, noticing the stickers of ghosts on the windows. She grimaced.

Calypso wasn't one to believe in ghosts. Angels? Of course. Demons? She knew they were all too real. But ghosts? Not at all. Horror movies involving ghosts never scared her; she knew they weren't real. In her mind, there was nothing more foolish than believing in some sort of spectrum that haunted beings for its own amusement.

But now, she wasn't so sure.

Ever since she received that letter in the mail from her father, Calypso had been on edge. She would look down at her hands and find they were shaking. A door would slam and she would immediately stiffen. Her nightmares weren't about Leo getting hurt anymore – they were about her sorry excuse of a father. The ghosts from her past were gaining on her. She thought she had forgotten them.

Calypso's past wasn't exactly something she liked to talk about; she had never told anyone the real reason she did so many extracurricular activities that made her stay late after school or why she moved out of her old house so fast. Heck, Leo didn't even know. She planned to tell him before he left, but the stress of deployment was a bit much.

She knew she wasn't the only one with a hard past. Every so often, when Leo thought she wasn't looking, he would get a faraway look in his eyes and anguish would ripple over his features. Calypso knew that feeling all too well.

"Calypso!" Annabeth strode over, holding out a glass of apple cider. "Glad you could make it!"

Calypso smiled and took the cider. "Your twins look great."

"They do, don't they?" Annabeth watched her little ones, her face practically glowing with love. "Laurel originally wanted Miles to be Kristoff, but he refused." She let out a laugh. "Come on inside!"

Calypso followed Annabeth inside, saying hello to the other wives and giving them hugs. It was amazing how close she already felt to these women – this past week she had missed the lunch at Tomato Street and not seeing them for a week had changed her mood drastically. Calypso hadn't been this close to anyone except her sister, Zoe.

"So, Hazel," Thalia said, pointing to a bag sitting by Hazel's feet. "What's in the bag?"

Hazel reached down and pulled out an envelope. "Well, I had the ultrasound today –" she paused as the rest of the wives cheered and whooped. Hazel handed the picture to Piper, who had her hand outstretched.

Piper looked at the picture, squinting. "Okay, I was always really bad at deciphering these things. Boy or girl?"

"It's a little girl." Hazel smiled broadly. Everyone applauded. "And I thought I would tell Frank by sending him this." She reached into the bag and pulled out a shirt, hat, and pants – all in pink army camouflage.

"Oh my gosh," Calypso found herself squealing. "That is too cute!" She leaned in closer and whispered in Hazel's ear. "Does Frank know…?" Hazel nodded. Calypso smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder.

"Frank is gonna be one proud dad," Thalia said as she studied the baby clothes.

Hazel nodded. "I'm a bit worried, though. It's our first, and it's a girl, so I have a feeling he's going to be very protective of her. He might not even let her date until she's 35!"

Annabeth nearly spurted out her hot cider, holding her nose shut. "Percy said the exact same thing when Laurel and Miles were born! He said if Laurel so much as even looked at another man besides him before she's thirty he'll lock her in her room!"

The other wives laughed, and Calypso leaned back on the couch. A smile curved her lips; friends truly were a blessing. And yet, her mind kept going back to her father: _What on earth would he want with me? Why did he send me a letter? Why would he want to talk to me after all these years?_

Sitting in a room with her best friends, Calypso had a startling revelation: she was being haunted.

**Thought I'd go with the "haunted" theme since Halloween is in a couple of days! :D Happy early Halloween, everyone! Please read and review!**


	14. Thalia: Prayer

**Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all the reviews! Since the last chapter, this story of mine has marked the most reviews I've ever gotten! :D *throws confetti* woo hoo! **

**Disclaimer: I own only the plot, nothing more. **

_**Thalia – Prayer**_

All was silent in the di Angelo household, with the exception of a fist hitting a small pillow. Thalia's arm ached, but punching a pillow was a better solution than knocking sense into her daughter. Her fist hit the edge of an endtable instead, resulting in a quiet string of swear words. Thalia glanced at the stairs, hoping she didn't wake up anyone.

At least, if anyone _was _asleep; Tyson, her youngest, would probably be the only one sleeping right now. Irene should be asleep, if she didn't have her nose stuck in that new book she was reading. Maria claimed she had AP Biology homework to do, but seeing as how Maria didn't give a crap anymore about schoolwork, Thalia assumed she was just listening to music. Either that or she was waiting for her mother to go to sleep so she could sneak out with Ryan again.

_At least I know his name now, _Thalia thought as she gave up on punching the pillow and held it to her chest. As far as Thalia knew, Maria hadn't been going to any wild parties lately but she had been sneaking out with someone. Thalia had called all of Maria's friends' parents to see if they knew anything about it, but they all declined. It took Thalia waiting up until the wee hours of the morning to confront her about it and learn the dude's name.

Ryan had come by several times since then, and Thalia honestly did not know what her daughter saw in him. It wasn't so much in the way he looked, but the way he acted. Thalia had dated plenty of men in the past before settling with Nico – some of them being really questionable, she realized when she was older – but none of them were "extreme". Some of them, she heard, had actually turned out fine.

But Ryan was a different story. From the moment he walked in the door, Thalia felt a sense of danger around him. He constantly smelled of cigarettes and weed. The things that came out of that boy's mouth made Thalia want to smack him senseless. He was covered head to toe with piercings and wore black eyeliner. He had no respect for authority, especially the police. He had a juvenile record. He had dropped out of high school and had no plans for the future. Everything about him was an enormous red flag, but Maria would have none of it.

"Sheesh, Mom!" she had said when Ryan had stopped by the first few times. "You're judging him. Do you think Dad would have sent him away just because he has his nipples pierced?"

_His nipples, too. Wonderful. I could've gone without that information. _

Thalia stood up, sighing as she made her way up the stairs. No sooner than her foot landed on the third step than a thought jumped into her mind.

_Your husband is in danger. _

The words came with such force that Thalia froze mid-step. Nico was in danger? _Well of course he's in danger, _Thalia thought snidely. _He's in Afghanistan, for Pete's sake. _She resumed climbing the stairs.

_**Your husband is in danger.**_There it was again, stronger than the last time. Thalia bolted up the stairs and into the master bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She leaped onto the bed and clutched a pillow, breathing hard.

Thalia had never been a religious person, but something told her that that thought came from an exalted sphere. Was it her conscience? Maybe, maybe not. Thalia had the strong impression that she needed to pray, now. But Thalia had never been to church – she didn't know a thing about prayer or God.

So, Thalia did the best she could. "Um…God? Hi, it's Thalia di Angelo. But you probably knew that…" she let out a nervous chuckle. "I, uh…I think Nico is in danger. I think he's under fire right now." Tears filled Thalia's electric blue eyes as she thought of a life without her husband. "Listen…I'm not perfect. I'm hardly close to perfect – my oldest daughter is rebelling against me, and because she is I'm hardly paying enough attention to Irene and Tyson…"

Thalia's nervousness went away and more words came out like a river. "But please, _please, I am begging you – _don't take Nico away from me. I'm nothing without him. I've known him since I was fifteen and we've been through everything together…" Memories filled Thalia's mind, making her smile through her tears: when they first met, Nico proposing to her at an Iron Maiden concert, their wedding, Maria's birth, the death of Nico's sister. The two of them had been through hell and back together.

A sudden feeling of peace coursed through Thalia's veins, filling her with warmth. Another thought came to her: _everything is going to be alright. _

And somehow, Thalia believed it.


End file.
